Water cycle



G. (3- BROWN.

WAT-ER CYCLE. APPLICATION FILED JULYIZ, 1920. RENEWED 05c. 19,1921.

Patenfed Ju1y 11 INVENTOR.

6/2405 C. B/POW/V.

A TTORNEY enAcE'c. nown, or sanrnenorsco, oALIFonNIA,

To all whomitmay concern: a

e it knownthatl, Mrs. GRAon C. BROWN, a citizen of the United States, residing at city and countyof San Francisco and State stretcher upon which the trunk of a persons of California, haveinvented a new and use ful Improvement in Water Cycles, of which the following is a specification.

, .Thisinvention relates to a water cycle.

It is the principal object ofthe present invention to provide'a form of water craft which may support a person in a position substantially the same as when swimming and will provide means whereby the device vmay be propelled by the efforts ,offthe person supported upon the device and maybe guided eitherto pursue a desired horizontal course or to beused in diving, thus making it possible for ap erson inexperienced in swimming to participate in water sports.-

1 The present invention contemplates the use of a pairof floats supporting a sling or body may rest while permittingfree use of thelimbs, the structure being further provided with steering and propelling means, the former adapted to be manipulated by the hands of the operator to cause the device to pursue a desired horizontal course or to dive and the propelling means designed to be operated by: the feet of the occupant to drive the device.

The invention isillustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a. View in side elevation illustrating the water cycle. I i i Fig. 2 is a view in plan illustrating the water cycle as shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a view in transverse section through the body portion ofthe water cycle as seenon the line 3-3 of Fig. 1. Referring more particularly to the drawings, 10 indicates a central shaft, at the forward end of which a steering member 11 is secured and at the rear end of which propulsion means 12 is mounted. The shaft 10 is adapted to extend horizontally and is secured beneath a pair of floats 13 and 14 by means of straps 15. The structure thus formed is substantially triangular in shape as more clearly shown in Fig. 3 where it will be seen that the two floats are disposed in the same plane and the rod 10 supported upon the floats and centrally thereof to form the third corner of a triangle. Secured from WATER exam.

, Application filed-July 12, 1920, Serial No. 395,575. Benewed December 19, 1921. Serial No. 523,591.

one float to the other is a canvas sling 16 of sufficient to accommodate the trunk of the person riding on the water cycle. The length of this sling is such as to permit free 'mevement of thearms and also to allow free pedaling movement of the lower limbs when arms and lower limbs' to extend into the water while permitting the head to be easily held above the surface of the water. In order to decrease the resistance to the water when the water cycle is moving the floats are formed with pointed ends as indicated at 17. These floats are also diagonally braced to the ends of the rod 10 by, means of stay rods 18 which. extend forwardly and rearwardly as shown in Fig. 1

The forward end of the rod 10 projects a considerable distance ahead of the ends of the floats and is there equipped with a yieldable member such as-the helical spring 19. Qne end of this spring is rigidly secured to this rod and the otherend supports the steering device 11. This device comprises four blades, 20 to 23, inclusive, said blades being substantially triangular in shape and arranged at right angles to each other around a common center to form a pointed steering member. The plates 20 and 23 he in the same horizontal plane and when deflected vertically will cause the vertical path of travel of the water cycle to be altered. The blades 21 and 22 are in vertical alignment on the opposite sides of the centerof the steering device and when deflected sidewise will cause the horizontal path of travel of the water cycle to be changed. I Manipulation of this steering device is brought about by a handle 24: extending through the upper plate 21 and in a position to be grasped by the two hands of the operator.

Mounted upon therear end of the shaft 10 is a bearing casting 25. This casting is formed with a boss adapted to receive the end of the shaft-'10. A hearing 26 is longitudinally aligned therewith to receive one end of the propellor shaft 27. tegral with this hearing and spaced therefrom is an outer bearing 28 supported by arms 29, while interposed between the bearings 26 and 28, isa mitre gear 30. This Formed ina Cir gear is securely keyed to the shaft 27 and drives the shaft with its propeller 31. The gear 30 is in constantmesh with the. gear wheel 32. Thiswhe'elisfixed to a crank shaft 33 which extends through a bearing in the casting 25 and is disposed transversely of the longitudinal axis of the casting. The shaft 33 is equipped with cranks 34"and"35 having pedals 36. These'pedals are preferably of a size to conform to the *sole 'of the foot of the operator and are made soffthat they maybe Conveniently pressed against without discomfort.

" In operation of the present invention the watercy'cle is first disposed within the wa- 'te1i -and will float due to the buoyant charterfof themembers 13V and 14:. person -m'ay then'lie upon the sling portion 16 in a: position to permit the lower limbs to have free movement in the rear of the's'ling 16 andithe floats 13 and 14-; The arms of the occupantmayreach forwardly and grasp the handle 2twh'ile the feet of the occupant areplaced upon the treadles 36 and held in this position by straps 37. By operating the treadles and the crank shaft 33 the gear 32 maybe rotated. Rotation of this ear "willin'turn drive'the gear 30 and pro uce a driving action upon the propeller 31. y This "will force the water cycle forwardly.

The course of the water cycle maybe readily controlled by a novement' of the steering device 11 aswhen thespring 19 is defie'ctedso as to turn the point of the steering i eins downwardly; the side fins 20 and 23 will" actto cause the water cycle to dive downwardly.- In the event that the steering device is-pointed in an upward direction there will be a tendency to elevate the water cycle. 'W'he'n the \vatercycle is to be steered 'toeithe'rlside of its straight course, the steering device may be deflected in that direction and the desired deviation in travel fmade.

ltwill thus be seen that the device here "disclosedprovides means whereby a person "inexperienced in swimming may be propelledthrough water and may readily conti ol 'the direction of travel of the vehicle as propelled.

i .Vhile I'haveshown the preferred form of my 'inventionas now known to me, it will 'be understood that various changes in the ('fOIlSlYYLlClZlOll," combination and arrangement of parts may be made bv those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention as claimed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

LA .waterflcycle, comprising a pair of floats disposed substantially on the same plane and converging toward the forward.

end of the structure; a sling supported between said floats; a rigid shaft -fi xed'to the floats and disposed therebeneath and centrally thereof yveined steering member resiliently and yieldably mounted at the forward .end of said shaft, anda pedal operated propelling mechanism disposed at the oppositeend of said shaft.

2. A water cycle comprising a central shaft,a veined steering member resiliently mounted at one end of said shaft, a pedal operated gear mounted atthe opposite end of said shaft,'a propeller mounted at the end of the shaft to rotate around the longitudinal axis thereof; driving means therefor connectedwith said gear; floats rigidly secured to the shaft and disposed thereabove in spaced relation to each other; and

'afabri'cslingsupported'by the floats and device comprising a plurality of longitudinally extending veins arranged at right angles to each other a resilient and yieldable connection between said steering device and the frame; a crank shaft bearing mounted upon the opposite end of the frame; a crank shaft rotatably carried thereby, and being fitted with pedal arms;

a driving gear operated by said shaft; a

driven gearin mesh with said driving gear;

a propeller operated by the gears; a pair of fioatsspaced in relation'to each other and converg ng at their forward ends to give the craft a stream line effect; rigid supports disposing the floats above the'frame member a sufficient distance to provide knee room for the occupant while operating the foot pedals; and affabidc sling suspended between said floats. r

In testimony whereof I have" hereunto set my hand in the presence oftwo subscribing lQ witnesses. p p

t Mayors-Acne. BROWN.

Witnesses; I

W. W. HEA EY I M. E. EwrNe. s 

